Large transport flight crew did not begin climb after receiving ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	126832
Time
Date	198910
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fnt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 9500 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	126832
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were at 11000' MSL, receiving radar vectors. We were cleared to 12000' and given a heading change. A few mins later (my guess is 2-3 mins), we were cleared to 13000'. I then noticed we were still at 11000'. I made the error on this one. The captain was flying, but the MCP was my responsibility--I did set the altitude window to 12000', but did not engage VNAV or flch to begin the climb. ATC did not mention any problem and I am not aware of any traffic conflict. Part of the problem was multiple heading, altitude and frequency changes. It was a busy time for center and we were getting step climbs and turns to stay behind traffic, and also a speed reduction after we accelerated out of 10000'. Another contributing factor was the tendency of the captain to operate the MCP while flying the aircraft (my job), which led to a situation where I relinquished my duties to him, or at least got out of the habit of checking that someone had pushed the button, so when he got busy no one pushed the button. Our airline is in the process of re-evaluating 'who does what' on the glass cockpit aircraft. Some improvements are needed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT FLT CREW DID NOT BEGIN CLIMB AFTER RECEIVING ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 11000' MSL, RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS. WE WERE CLRED TO 12000' AND GIVEN A HDG CHANGE. A FEW MINS LATER (MY GUESS IS 2-3 MINS), WE WERE CLRED TO 13000'. I THEN NOTICED WE WERE STILL AT 11000'. I MADE THE ERROR ON THIS ONE. THE CAPT WAS FLYING, BUT THE MCP WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY--I DID SET THE ALT WINDOW TO 12000', BUT DID NOT ENGAGE VNAV OR FLCH TO BEGIN THE CLB. ATC DID NOT MENTION ANY PROB AND I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY TFC CONFLICT. PART OF THE PROB WAS MULTIPLE HDG, ALT AND FREQ CHANGES. IT WAS A BUSY TIME FOR CENTER AND WE WERE GETTING STEP CLBS AND TURNS TO STAY BEHIND TFC, AND ALSO A SPD REDUCTION AFTER WE ACCELERATED OUT OF 10000'. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE TENDENCY OF THE CAPT TO OPERATE THE MCP WHILE FLYING THE ACFT (MY JOB), WHICH LED TO A SITUATION WHERE I RELINQUISHED MY DUTIES TO HIM, OR AT LEAST GOT OUT OF THE HABIT OF CHKING THAT SOMEONE HAD PUSHED THE BUTTON, SO WHEN HE GOT BUSY NO ONE PUSHED THE BUTTON. OUR AIRLINE IS IN THE PROCESS OF RE-EVALUATING 'WHO DOES WHAT' ON THE GLASS COCKPIT ACFT. SOME IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.